Pneumocandin B0, WF 11899A and echinocandin B are all members of the echinocandin family, having the general structure:
 RR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Echinocandin BLinoleoylOHOHOHCH3CH3HHAculeacin AγPalmitoylOHOHOHCH3CH3HCH3Mulundocandin12-Methyl myristoylOHOHOHHHHCH3Sporiofungin A10,12-Dimethyl myristoylOHOHOHCH2CONH2HHCH3Pneumocandin B010,12-Dimethyl myristoylOHOHOHCH2CONH2HHHWF11899APalmitoylOHOHOHCH2CONH2CH3OSO3HCH3
They are fermentation products that are used to prepare semi-synthetic products, such as Caspofungin, Mycafungin and Anidulafungin, respectively. They all have antifungal activity.
Caspofungin is the first of a new class termed the echinocandins and works by inhibiting cell wall synthesis. Caspofungin has the chemical name 1-[(4R,5S)-5-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]-N2-(10,12-dimethyl-1-oxotetradecyl)-4-hydroxy-L-ornithine]-5-[(3R)-3-hydroxy-L-ornithine]pneumocandin B0, the CAS Registry Number 179463-17-3, and the following chemical structure (Formula I).

Caspofungin is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,804. Caspofungin is marketed in the form of its diacetate salt in the United States by Merck & Co., Inc. under the trade name CANCIDAS®. CANCIDAS® is administered intravenously for the treatment of infections such as Aspergillus and Candida and for the prevention of infections found in immuno-deficient patients.
Anidulafungin is marketed in the United States by Pfizer under the trade name ERAXIS® and is administered intravenously for the treatment of infections such as Candida. 
Micafungin is marketed in the form of its sodium salt in the United States by Astellas under the trade name MYCAMINE® and is administered intravenously for the treatment of infections such as Candida. 
Processes for the preparation of caspofungin involve the use of pneumocandin. Pneumocandin is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,377 and has the following chemical structure:

Pneumocandin is prepared by fermentation reactions; where fermentation and mixed broths generally contain a number of related by-products which may be difficult to separate from the desired product. U.S. Pat. No. 6,610,822 describes purification of the echinocandin-type compounds, such as, pneumocandin, WF 11899 and echinocandin B by performing several extraction processes, the first to remove non-polar impurities, the second to remove polar impurities, and then “back-extraction” of the product, optionally, in a combination with chromatographic purification. Hence, U.S. Pat. No. 6,610,822 provides a long and time consuming purification process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,403 describes a purification process of echinocandin-type compounds, such as, pneumocandin, WF 11899 and echinocandin B by performing several chromatographies. Thus, this process isn't suitable for large scale manufacture, isn't economic and is time consuming.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,506,726 and 6,590,073 describe the purification of echinocandin-type compounds, especially, of deacylated echinocandin B by chromatography.
The purified substances are echinocandin nuclea, which contain at least one amino group that can be protonated in the presence of an acid. Thus, this process is not suitable for substances that don't have an amine group that is protonated, such as pneumocandin, WF 11899 and echinocandin B.
There is a need in the art for additional processes of purifying echinocandin-type compounds, using techniques that are feasible for use on an industrial scale.